One day on Cape Cod and all I want is the beach

I%26#39;m coming in from Boston on July 5th, flying out of Providence on the afternoon of the 7th. I have never been to Cape Cod, but REALLY want to catch a glimpse of this part of New England.

I want to be close to a beach so I can sit, read a book and catch the sunset. Any suggestions on which town to stay in? Any other insights would be greatly appreciated.

Best,

-WMJ

One day on Cape Cod and all I want is the beach

If you do not have a reservation for such a short stay at one of the busiest times of the summer you may not really have too much choice. If I were yu I would get a reservation asap. Assuming that you will have a choice...

You can%26#39;t go wrong with the National Seashore beaches (ocean beaches) for solitude, sand and sun. For a sunset you need a bay beach. I like Eastham beaches but any of the outer cape National Seashore beaches would be nice. Try www.nps.gov/caco for a listing from Eastham to Provincetown. The Bosotn Globe just did a piece yesterday on Eastham that might give you some feeling for the area

boston.com/travel/…

One day on Cape Cod and all I want is the beach

Do you mean you will stay over one night? If you want one night in high season when minumum stays are 3 - 7 nights I think you should plan your beach time according to where you can find a one-night stay.

Perhaps someone on this board can suggest a place.

I can only guess that you might have luck if you choose the largest town and that is Hyannis. The best rated motel in Hyannis on this board is the Sea Coast in at the harbor. You could still go to any Cape beach - and read the Best Beaches thread - and spend the night in Hyannis. If you decide to do that you would certainly have a lot of dining and entertainment options for the evening.

Thank you for the information, thus far. And I%26#39;ll be reading that Boston Globe article after I post this post.

2 nights, 1 full day on Cape Cod

I%26#39;ve actually found some B%26amp;B%26#39;s with openings which, admittedly, was a surprise. Any comments about Dennis, MA?

This is great feedback, and much appreciated.

We have our summer home in Dennis...Dennisport specifically. On the Best Beaches thread you will learn about the wonderful Bay side beaches like Mayflower. Try to be there when the tide is going out. On the warm Nantucket Sound side my favorite Dennis beach is South Village however, unlike the others, there%26#39;s no snack bar and only a porta potty. It is bounded on one side by the Swan River....which you can kayak (or electric paddle boat) on between Rt. 28 (where the shop is located) and the Sound and on the other end you can walk all the way to Lighthouse Inn. When you get there you can have lunch or appetizers and wine on their outdoor patio.

I%26#39;m so glad you were able to find accommodations.

Where will you be staying?

Want some dinner ideas? Most delicious in Dennis (and many other towns too) www.oceanhouserestaurant.com. You can dine in the dining room (with reservations) or in the lounge. After that try the Oyster Co. For casual dining, a fun atmosphere and lobster we like Clancy%26#39;s beach house. If you want to splurge on a terrific breakfast check out the blackboard specials at Bonatt%26#39;s in Harwichport.

If you do end up staying in Dennis you should go to my favorite beach, Mayflower. It%26#39;s in Dennis off of Route 6A . The B%26amp;B can give you directions. When the tide goes out the beach is just huge with plenty of room for hundreds of people. It can get crowded when the tide is in, but if you arrive later in the afternoon, say after 2PM its not bad at all. (Not to mention safer to be in the sun than at high noon) One of my favorite memories there is sitting in my beach chair at about 6PM as the tide was coming in with the waves coming up just lapping my feet occasionally. The beach was pretty much deserted by that hour. It was total bliss! On a clear day you can see the Sagamore bridge on one side and almost to P-town on the other. It has restrooms and a snack shack. Parking is probably up to $12 or more, I haven%26#39;t been there in a few years sadly, just in my daydreams!